


An Unexpected Discovery

by ceallaig



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Bilbo is confused, Gen, Mistaken Identity, genderswap sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 04:03:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10070612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceallaig/pseuds/ceallaig
Summary: A couple weeks into the quest, Bilbo makes an unexpected discovery about two of his companions.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Khafushun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khafushun/gifts).



> This is a prize for Khafushun for the gatheringFiKi WinterFRE2017. The prompt was: "What if Fili and Kili were sisters, not brothers?" Given Tolkien's assertion that there is little difference between Dwarf men and Dwarf women, at least to outsiders' eyes, and that Dwarf women, when traveling, tended to dress and act like Dwarf men, this was an interesting notion to play with.

Thorin knew, of course – after all, he’d helped raise them. And he and their mother had seen to it they were raised as befitted royal heirs--educated in mind, honed in body, able to negotiate with stubborn Dwarven lords, or cut them to pieces if need be. Kili displayed an affinity for the bow early on—not a typical Dwarven weapon but very handy during hunts. Clean kills at distance became the hallmark of Dis’ second child. Fili preferred melee weapons, but would choose words over arms whenever possible, a trait inherited from their father. 

When the time came for the quest to reclaim their ancestral home, there was no dissuading Fili and Kili from coming along. Dis’ protests were perfunctory at best—her bullheadedness had been passed on full measure to her children, and she well knew it. She eventually gave them her blessing, outfitted them properly for the journey, and silently prayed to Mahal to keep them safe in all things. 

The nearer kinsmen, such as Balin and Dwalin, who had had their own hand in raising them, kept their own counsel, but it was simply a matter of time before all of the Company knew. While it gave them a bit of a turn at first, nothing was said once the initial surprise had faded—the heirs handled themselves well, drew no untoward attention to themselves, and in general slotted in with the rest of the Dwarves seamlessly. 

It fell to the Hobbit to be astonished by the revelation, one day a couple of weeks into their journey. The river was cool and inviting, and the entire Company stripped and began washing off the sweat and grime of the road without an ounce of self-consciousness. Bilbo, more circumspect, ducked behind a rock to undress, sneaking glances at the Company. He noted the scars that vied with tattoos for space on Dwalin’s massive body; the complete lack of either on Ori; wondered how Dori and Nori would ever get their hair into their signature complex coifs again; and pointedly did not admire Thorin’s back view as he stretched, tensing and releasing muscles up and down his solid frame… _no, Bilbo you do NOT need to go there._ He shook himself and turned his gaze toward a safer sight, that of the royal heirs. Knowing they were indeed Thorin’s kin was enough of a shock, and that they were…very close…well, different rules for different cultures, he supposed, though it would have scandalized them back in Hobbiton. Though to be fair, his thoughts about Thorin would have driven Lobelia into an apoplexy—and he had the good grace to be ashamed of this thought making him happy. 

Fili and Kili were having a glorious time of it, dunking each other and being roundly cursed in Khuzdul when their antics splashed over one of the others. They cursed right back while helping each other with back scrubbing, and finally hauled out of the water to lie on the bank in the warm sun. Combs came out of packs, and hair was untangled and braided. 

That was when Bilbo saw, and rubbed his eyes, sure they were cheating him somehow. And he glanced at the rest of the Company as they got out of the water. No, they were…equipped as he might have expected. But Fili and Kili were not. Luxuriant thatches between their legs, to be sure, one dark and one golden, but a complete lack of male organs. So unless there had been some horrific accident in childhood, then… 

“Bilbo, you’re startin’ to prune. Time to come out—we promise we won’t peek!” Bofur called, snapping his attention away again. There was general merriment at this comment, and Bilbo forced himself to join in, but his mind was reeling. He waded back behind his sheltering rock, dried himself off as best he could, and struggled into his clothes. 

All the rest of the day he was quiet, wanting desperately to ask some questions, and unsure what the etiquette was about such things. Finally his Took bravery won out over his Baggins reticence, and he joined the siblings on watch that night.  After the usual pleasantries, he took a deep breath and said, “So you two are…really sisters?” 

Fili laughed around her pipe, and Kili said, “We wondered when you were going to notice.” 

“Nori will be disappointed—his wager was that you wouldn’t figure it out until we actually got to Erebor,” Fili said. 

“Well, if it hadn’t been for the river today, I might not have. After all, under layers of leather and fur, it’s difficult to see much of anything, isn’t it? And even from the waist up in the water, there’s not a lot of difference that I could see. Not that I was really looking, you understand…” Bilbo spluttered to a stop, glad of the darkness that hid the blush raised by Kili’s very unladylike guffaw. 

“We weren’t blessed like our mother, that’s true,” Fili said, taking pity on him. “But some dwarrowmaids aren’t, any more than I imagine all Hobbit lasses are amply endowed.” 

“True enough. But why travel as males? I know the rest of the Company treats you as such, even using male pronouns. I’m guessing all the others know.” 

“That was Amad’s idea. Dwarf women don’t travel too far from home as a rule, or at least they didn’t until Smaug burned out Erebor. We grew up on the road, and she and Thorin decided that having us travel as males was safer.” 

“And I’ll take trousers over a gown any day. Drafty things,” Kili declared. 

“I’m astounded your mother agreed to let you come on this quest at all.” 

“She’d have had Melkor’s own time trying to stop us,” Kili said. “We’re as safe as we can be, and Erebor is our home, too. We’ve as much right to be here as Thorin does. I’m just a little surprised Amad didn’t insist on coming along—I don’t think even Smaug would want to take her and her battle axe on.” 

“Dwalin made it for her as a wedding gift when she married Adad, and I think he never meant for her to use it, it was so heavy. But she worked and trained, and she managed to take Dwalin down in the practice ring with it more than once,” Fili said, pride glowing in the blue eyes. “She wanted that for us, too, so we’d always be able to look after ourselves. And each other.” 

The look that passed between the sisters was at once so joyful and so intimate that Bilbo had to look away for a moment. “That’s another thing. Won’t the day come when you’ll be expected to marry and have children? You are the heirs, after all. And how would that even work? Can a female inherit the throne?” 

“It hasn’t ever been done,” Fili admitted. “I don’t know of any rules against it—and believe me, I looked. I have no real desire to wear a crown one day. As for future heirs, we are each other’s One, have always been, and Thorin knows it. There is always Cousin Dain and his son to take over if need be. But it’s a bridge we’ll cross once we win our home back…if we do. Until then, as far as the world outside our family and now this Company is concerned, we are just Thorin’s nephews. And we’ll need to ask you to keep our secret, too, if you please, Bilbo.” 

“Whatever you wish, though I must say my head is still reeling a bit,” Bilbo admitted. “If you two would do us all a favor and try not to get yourselves killed—I don’t think any of us wants to be the one to bring those tidings back to your mother, especially if she’s as formidable as you say.” 

“Oh, she is. I think she might be the only being in all of Middle Earth that Uncle is actually a bit afraid of,” Kili laughed. “She told us about a time, when they were pebbles…” 

The remainder of the watch was spent in telling stories—Bilbo heard tales that made him look at Dwalin and Thorin in a new light, and that had him wondering how Fili and Kili had ever survived to adulthood. He returned the favor by giving them some new insight on the lives of Hobbits, who in their own way were every bit as insular as Dwarves. The notion of tilled fields, huge families, and endless peace and plenty was as alien to Fili and Kili as the image of great stone halls, blazing forges, and deep cut mines was to Bilbo. 

Dwalin and Ori came to relieve them, and Bilbo said, “Goodnight, lads,” without a second thought. He settled in to his bedroll and turned on his side, catching Thorin’s eye. One regal eyebrow went up in unspoken query, and Bilbo smiled and nodded. The secret was safe, and would remain so if he had anything to say about it. 

Though he did notice there was a great deal of money changing hands the next day…


End file.
